The invention is related to the field of photodetectors, and in particular to photoconductors for mid-/far-IR detection.
To date, most photodetectors that sense in the mid-/far-IR wavelength range are photodiodes made of single-crystals such as HgCdTe, InSb or multiple quantum wells. The low defect density in single crystals minimizes carrier recombination, and thus improves photodiode responsivity. However, the drawback of these crystalline alloys is the difficult and expensive material and device fabrication technology for large-area detectors, which require tight material and mechanical specifications and extensive molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) expertise and proofing.